The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-06-23
Excitement In Laurens.
From the Sunday Me,us, June 10.

L ! { I. - = q
LAuRENs, June, 1S.-Hoover, who
recently caused so much trouble in Geor-
pia aud made himself notorious through.
out the country, is said to have visited
Laurens County. Whether it was
Hoover or some other like character the
fact remains that Hoover's influence
pervades the colored population: Near
Cedar Grove, Young's township, the
negroes have organized themselves into
secret organizations known ss knights of
Labor. Each member is sworn to per.
petual secrecy, and to mutually sustain
and protect each other. The meetings
are allheld with closed doors and armed
doorksepers and armed pickets. Not.
withstanding the very great precautions
of secrecy, some of che purposes of the
organization are known. The meetings
are held from two to three times each
week. Among other things that are
known are that the negroes have been
made to believe that this county belongs
to them sat least, they say so-and that
they will maintain these extraordinary
claims with their lives. They think that
they will obtain their rights quickest BY
exterminating the older whites and
enslaving the young men. The young
women they will take for their wives.
The whites in the neighborhood are
alarmed, but they are determined as
brave men to defend their hearthstones
and the women with their blood, if need
be. e'
q a cavalry company has been organized
With DR.. w, j. Westmoreland as captain,
and application has been made to the
Governor for arms.
/. Col. J. 81. Traynham, of the Governors
staff, under instructions from Columbia,
will proceed at once to. the scene of
action to Investigate and report such
steps as may necessary to protect the
country from violence and bloodshed.
Capt. i. E. Irby. of the Laurens Guards,
will accompany Col. Trayham.
I have Just read letter from w, 2.
Cooker, q very reliable and substantial
citizen, in Which he says: ~ am no
alarmist ;;the emergency is upon US and
We must prepare for it. The scene of the
trouble is about eighteen miles from here,
and I can give no further information to-
day.
The News at the State House.
COLUMBIA, June 1S.-The whites in
Laurens County are evidently alarmed
about the possibility of an insurrection
among the negroes, and perhaps their
fears are we'll founded. Governor Rich.
ardson and the adjutant general have
been communicated with. While Gov
ernor Richardson knows that the alarm
may possibly be false one, he has taken
immediate action, and if it should be
ascertained that there is really danger of
an outbresk, the militia of the State will
be ordered to short summer encamp.
ment at Laurens. Governor Richardson
has placed himself in position to obtain
reliable information from Laurens. The
following letter was received by the Gov.
erpor to-day:
CEDAR GROVE, LAURENs Co., 8. @.
Governor Richardson, Columbia
Dear Sir: The negroes under the Hoo.
yer influence have organized themselves
and hold weekly meetings. They meet
from midnight to 2 o'clock and make
speeches, saying tney WILL XIII OUT tne
white men and old women, take the
Young ones for wives and make the white
children work for them. They say they
will burn the whites out. They are
exhorted to die like brave men, to go to
their graves with bloody feet. They bind
their members by an oath never to reveal
their secrets. At their meetings they are
guarded by pickets. An outbreak may
occur at any time. We have met and or
ganized cavalry Company of fifty mem:
bers and would be glad to be furnished
with State arms at once with all necessa.
~ appurtenances. The negroes are
watched by committee of whites. The
negroes are all armed. They are armed
by the club. We don't know where or
how they get them. :.
The letter is signed by the secretary Of
the new company and the names of all
the officers are given,